The Good Earth

"Though more than sixty years have passed since this remarkable novel won the Pulitzer Prize, it has retained its popularity and become one of the great modern classics. "I can only write what I know, and I know nothing but China, having always lived there," wrote Pearl Buck. In "The Good Earth" she presents a graphic view of a China when the last emperor reigned and the vast political and social upheavals of the twentieth century were but distant rumblings for the ordinary people. This moving, classic story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife Olan is must reading for those who would fully appreciate the sweeping changes that have occurred in the lives of the Chinese people during this century. Nobel Prize winner Pearl S. Buck traces the whole cycle of life: its terrors, its passions, its ambitions and rewards. Her brilliant novel -- beloved by millions of readers -- is a universal tale of the destiny of man."--Publisher website.

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Oh...how I loved this book. I thought about it whenever I was not reading and dreamt of it while I was asleep. The characters are rich, and the Earth, Oh, The Good Earth...you can feel, smell and taste of it while you read her beautiful sentences. How sweetly I was surprised to know it was book one of three. I can hardly wait to continue the story.

The fact that this is a very readable, fascinating, enjoyable book stands out very soon. There is so much missing in Western education, at least mine, that there is always something I was not aware of or unusual people. For example, I learned that there were rich farmers, and that they also had Chinese slaves. Among the rich, as far as I understood, a family becomes larger with relatives, personal relationships and slaves. I have read other Chines history, for example, Cixi the last empress of China, but in none did I “get down into the dirt” so closely to the land and people. I highly recommend reading this book for both the entertainment and historical values.

It was a pleasure to read. I haven't read a good novel in a while. O-Lan was my favorite character. I was hoping for her to play a bigger, major role. I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

This book has themes that really resonated with me as I was reading it, such as the power of hard work, the importance of family, the sin of complacency, laziness and greed, and the natural tendency of people to move towards ruin. I feel like I missed the main point of O-Lan's character, but I think this is a book that anyone can enjoy!

Beautifully written book; the story and characters are so compelling, I hardly came up for air. I will be haunted by O-Lan for a long time. I loved all of the details of daily life (especially the food) that were woven so skillfully into the story, must read more by the author.

This is an amazing book. It really showed the hardships that people in China had to go through at that time, whether poor or rich. I've learned a lot reading Buck's books and will continue to read them. I would like to know what someone from China thinks of this book as, although Buck grew up in China and lived there her whole life, she was American.

liked the first 2/3rds of the book more than the last 3rd, which I found kind of lagged. The content was interesting as it was quite different from the fare I typically read: the gender roles in pre-revolutionary china were disturbing for me and I found the experience of rural poverty really poignant too. The writing was very well done, and now I'm interested to read "Fighting Angel".

Booksaregold
Jul 27, 2013

Very boring at the beginning but it got very interesting but the sad part was how Lung treated O-lan. it's very interesting with a lot of descriptions

yo216
Aug 03, 2012

If you enjoy reading Pearl S. Buck, read Peony. Entertaining, educational and Pearl S. Buck exceptional writing. I just read Peony for the first time and will again read The Good Earth, read many years.